Fireproofing compositions



Patented 'June 19, 1945 Martin Leatherman, Hyattsville, Md.

No Drawing. Application May 28, 1942,

Serial No. 444,920

2 Claims. (Cl. 106-15) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 G- 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royality thereon.

This invention relates to fireproofing compositions, and particularly to compositions of the type in which thermally unstable materials are broken down in the presence of heat to evolve flameproofing gases such as hydrogen chloride and carbon dioxide. The invention is particularly directed to the imparting of fire and fiameproofing properties to fibrous materials having a cellulose base, although it has application to the impregnation of other fibrous materials and to the coating or painting of materials, such as wood, which are not impregnated.

In my application Serial No. 396,537, filed June 4, 1941, now Patent Number 2,326,233, dated August 10, 1943, I have disclosed and claimed a flreproofing composition embodying chlorinated organic materials combined with zinc carbonate and suitable solvents, pigments, and wetters', to impart fireproofing characteristics to fibrous materials and the like. That'inventionis predicated upon the ability of chlorinated organic materials, such as chlorinated parafiin, to evolve hydrogen chloride gas at temperatures well below 300 C., and also upon the ability of the zinc carbonate to evolve carbon dioxide at temperatures of 300 C. and above.

The effectiveness of the above composition as a fireproofing agent is due largely to the hydrogen chloride which is liberated by highly chlorinated organic materials at temperatures approaching the ignition point of most fabrics, particularly those of cellulosic nature having an ignition point of approximately 300 C. The composition disclosed in that application is highly efl'ective with chlorinated materials having a chlorine content amounting to about 50 to 60 percent of the weight of the organic material, but loses its eflectiveness rapidly as the chlorine content is reduced.

It is known that antimony trioxide is eflective as an ingredient of fiameproofing compositions used with chlorinated organic materials.

- However, that material is scarce and present compositions require substantial quantities of this ingredient for efiective fibrous protection. This material is also toxic, especially when present in substantial quantity.

The object of the present invention is to re- ;duce as far as possible the amount of scarce.

and costly ingredients employed in flreproofing compositions. More particularly, it aims to retent ls greatly reduced. Another object is to reduce the amount of antimony oxide required in order to make available quantities of this material adequate to meet wartime demands for fireproofing compositions, and to reduce'the toxicity of compositions where it is employed.

The present invention-is based essentially upon two discoveries. One is that monocalcium chlorophosphate is thermally unstable, and at temperatures of to 200 C., and above, will liberate hydrogen chloride gas which is an eflective fiameprooflng agent, and the second is that flameproofing accelerators when used in combination with chlorinated organic materials or with monocalcium chlorophosphate greatly reduce the amount of fireproofing material required to effectively protect combustible fibrous materials. This eifect is most striking in that it can be used in fireproofing compositions containing antimony oxide to reduce the amount of such oxide required to even less than 2% of the composias a hydrated double salt of dicalcium phosphate and hydrochloric .acid (CaI-lIPOaCI-ILHcO), or as monocalcium chlorophosphate (CaClI-IaPOaHaO).

This material is of low cost and may be manufactured readily from acid-digested steamed bone and phosphoric acid or from calcium chloride and phosphoric acid. It is strictly an inorganic compound and is unaifected by actinic light to which chlorinated organic materials are inherently very susceptible. When this material is heated to temperatures above 125 0., it decomposes with the evolution of hydrochloric acid. This evolution increases up to C. and above.

The fiameproofing accelerators which are useful in compositions embodying the present inven-" tion are antimony trioxide, arsenic trioxide, lead dioxide, stannic oxide and the arsenates of zinc, calcium, lead, magnesium, manganese, and equivalent materials. The preferred materials are lead dioxide, antimony and arsenic trioxide, and the arsenates of calcium, lead andmagnesium. These materials, through-some unknown action analogous to that of a catalyst, permit great reduction in the percentage of composition needed to fireproof combustible fibrous materials.

results using the composition of that application required a chlorine content of 50 percent or above,

in the chlorinated organic material, the present composition is fully eil'ective with chlorinated organic materials containing percentages of chicrine as low as 41 to 46 percent. The use of these materials not only reduces the amount of material such as chlorinated paraffin or its equivalent, or of antimony oxide, but it permits lowering the take-on of the finished fabric appreciably.

.The effectiveness of my novel composition resides in the complex actions and interactions exhibited by the ingredients imderthe influence of heat. When fibrous materials impregnated with my composition are subjected to ignition temperatures the following phenomena occur: the chlorinated organic material and the monocalcium 'chlorophosphate evolve hydrochloric acid which is an effective fire retarding agent. At least some ful cellulose dehydration catalysts and any one of" them greatly reinforces the action of the nascent zinc oxide. As a result of these various actions and interactions it becomes possible to fireproof a 12 ounce tenting duck with not more than a 50 percent add-on, that is. for every 100 pounds of fabric not more than 50 pounds of my composition is required.

A necessary ingredient of the present composition is a suitable wetting agent for the solids employed. Among the agents suitable for this purpose are aluminum stearate. zinc naphthenate, cadmium naphthenate, fatty acids. oxidizing oils, such as linseed or tung oil, and other similarly acting materials. Certain of these agents serve A transient ingredient of my composition is a dispersion medium which may be water in which the composition is dispersed, or an organic solvent in which the chlorinated organic material dissolves and the other ingredients remain suspended. This ingredient serves to regulate the amount of composition deposited during the treating of fibrous materials.

Although a preferred chlorinated organic material is chlorinated paraffin, I may use admixed therewith, or in various combinations severally or separately other chlorinated resinous organic materials such as polyvinyl chloride, co-polymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, polymerized chlorinated paracymene, chlorinated vegetable oils, or any other similarly thermally unstable chlorinated resinous organic material.

The term "resinous as employed herein is intended to include all of the classes of materials just enumerated where the materials have physical properties that are resin-like in character at congealing temperatures.

It will be obvious from the above that the monocalcium chlorophosphate has the unique advantages notonly of reducing the amount of chlorinated material required, and of supplementing the action of the chlorinated material, but also of evolving hydrogen chloride. The material is cheap and readily available and since it is a solid it may be dispersed like a pigment.

In some instances as in the making of fireproof ing paints, the non-drying chlorinated organic constituent of the composition may be replaced largelyor entirely by drying oils in suitable proportions. Such a composition is effective as a fire retardant, non-tacky paint for wooden or other surfaces. Where the chlorinated organic constituents are omitted, it will usually be advisable to increase the amount of monocalcium chloro- 0 phosphate used.

only to assist the penetration and distribution of the composition in fibrous materials impregnated with it. However, the drying oils are valuable not only as wetters, but may also be used as vehicles in the pre aration of fireproofing paints.

Although not necessary to operativeness of the invention, it will frequently be desirable to use inert pigments in the composition. Such pigments preferably comprise earth colors such as sienna. umber. ochre. and the like. iron oxides,

' carbon black, metallic particles and metallic oxides. or other metallic pigments. These pigments serve not only to give decorative effects to the The following are typical examples of compositions embodying the present invention. These examples are based on the amount of ingredients required for the treatment of 12 ounce duck, and may be varied in accordance with the weight of the material to be treated. As is known, the proportion of the composition will be greater as the weight of the fabric decreases. The percentages given are on a solvent free basis.

Example I Percent Zinc carbonate 20.0 Inert pigments I 22.0 Monocalcium chlorophosphate 26.1 Arsenic trioxide 3.1

Chlorinated paraflin 26.8

Zinc naphthenate 2.0 Mineral spirits as required for grinding and dilution.

Example II Percent Zinc carbonate ".1 23.2 Inert pigment 26.6 Antimony trioxide 5.0 Aluminum stearate 2.0 Chlorinated paraffin 43.2

Mineral spirits as required for grinding and dilution.

Mineral spirits as required for grinding and dilution.

Lead dioxide 6.7

Inert opaque pigments 25.5" Aluminum stearate 2.3 Chlorinated parafilns 32.3 Mineral spirits as required for grinding and dilution.

The above examples illustrate the fiexibilityof I the compositions embodying the invention without restricting it to the precise proportions stated. Ingeneral it may be said that the composition for most effective action should contain approximately the following percentage of ingredients:

Percent Zinc carbonate 10-25 Monocalcium chlorophosphate 10-30 Flame-proofing accelerator (PbOz, AS203,

SbzOa) 3-10 Chlorinated organic material 20-44 Wetting agent (aluminum stearate, zinc na'phthenate etc.) 1.5-8 Inert pigment -r 22-28 As will be observed from the examples given above the amount of zinc carbonate and chlorinated organic material used is less when the monocalcium chlorophosphate is present.

The preferred manner of preparation of the compositions is to grind the ingredients, suitably thinned as by mineral spirits, on a roller mill of the type used in preparing paints. It may then be applied to the material to be treated by brushing, spraying or dipping. In applying the composition to fabrics or other fibrous materials, the

solvent thinner is adjusted to give the desired residue of composition in the fibrous material after drying. The amount of thinner required will vary according to the method used for applying the composition to the fibrous materials. A preferred method is to immerse the fibrous material, and to squeeze it heavily in a padding machine and then to dry it on steam heated rolls. The compositions may also be brushed 'or sprayed 'on, when used as fire retardant paints for wood and other surfaces.

While it is indicated above that the ingredients are dissolved in a volatile medium such as mineral spirits, it is also practicable to disperse the materials in water in order to avoid the use of flammable solvents. The term dispersion medium is used in a generic sense to cover a medium functioning either to dissolve or suspend the solids.

Compositions of the above character are effective in imparting to the material treated not only excellent flreproofing and fiameproofing characteristics but cause great economy in the use of antimony trioxide and chlorinated materials. The efiect is not only to economize in the use of scarce materials, but to make available for use materials of inferior character such as lightly chlorinated organic materials, which have not been efiective using compositions of the prior art.

Another important advantage of the invention is the fact that by proper selection of materials satisfactory fireproofing of materials can be obtained with the addition of a smaller amount of composition than has been required heretofore for the same results.

What is claimed is:

1. A fireprooflng composition comprising zinc carbonate, thermally unstable chlorinated organic material, monocalcium chlorophosphate, a flameproofing accelerator of the class consisting of arsenic and antimony trioxide, lead dioxide, stannic oxide and the arsenates of zinc, calcium, lead, magnesium and manganese, a dispersion medium, and a wetting agent for the solids.

2. A fireproofing composition comprising the following ingredients in approximately the proportions stated: zinc carbonate 10-20 per cent; monocalcium chlorophosphate 10-30 per cent; a flame-proofing accelerator from the class consisting of arsenic and antimony trioxide, lead dioxide, stannic oxide, and the arsenates of zinc, calcium, lead, magnesium and manganese 3-10 per cent; thermally unstable chlorinatedorganic material 20-44 per cent; wetting agent 1.5-8 per cent; and inert pigment 22-28 per cent.

MAR'I'JN I..EA'I'HERMAN.. 

